Just Play the Game
by blue.nails.of.an.angel
Summary: Mark is depressed. Can the gang cheer him up with a few games? RogerMimi. MoJo. This is my first fic ever, R & R, please!
1. Mission SMEBBCDFP

**Okay, folks. This is my first ever FanFic and I hope I did it justice. Hope you like it. It'll get funnier, I promise.**

Mark was depressed. No, he was worse than depressed, he was practically in tears. Last week his camera had broken after countless years of faithful service, and since then he had been spending every day locked in the loft. Roger was right; he _was_ in love with his work, and this time there would be no Mimi-miracle. No, he would spend the rest of his useless life wondering what would've come of a few more days of filming, instead of his old shit.

"We've got to do something about him. Nothing works. He's worse than I was!" Roger explained.

"What have you tried?" Collins asked him. The rock star wasn't offering much of an explanation, and he _was _the one who called them all over to the loft for some sort of emergency meeting"

"If we put our heads together I'm sure we can think of something." Maureen said. "Oh! I think I have an idea already!"

Joanne cringed. "Um, are you sure it's…appropriate?"

"Oh, well…kinda… No, wait! I have an even better idea!"

"Well, what is it?" Mimi questioned impatiently.

"What if we…" Maureen paused dramatically, "have a game night!" She smiled brightly, expectantly.

"Uh…" Collins managed.

"That's got to be the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard!" Roger exclaimed; he never was one to give false praise. "Are you crazy? That'll never work!"

"Actually," Mimi said, "I think it deserves a try. I don't think it would have worked on Roger, but it could do some good for Mark."

"Yeah, no offense Mimi, but the candle thing probably wouldn't work for Mark," Roger agreed.

"And why not?" Mimi asked, nevertheless offended.

"He'd probably just wet himself," he answered simply. Collins chuckled along with Joanne and Mimi, only to be scolded by Maureen.

"You guys get focused! Poor Markie is suffering and all you can do is laugh! If we're going to make this work we're going to have to start planning!"

"Sorry," they muttered.

"Okay, I think our game night should be tomorrow, Friday. I also suggest that Roger be the first in charge of picking and bringing the game." Maureen directed.

"What? Why me?" Roger asked, confused.

"Well he _is _your best friend," Maureen explained.

"But…" Roger protested, "The only games I know are…uh…" he glanced at Mimi, "two-player." Joanne rolled her eyes, but Maureen just looked confused.

"What do you mean? What does that have to do with-" an invisible light bulb went off above her head, "oh…"

"Yeah…"

"Oh come on, Roger, no matter how corrupt you were as a child you must have played _some_ sort of game appropriate for your age!" Collins said.

"Well, yes but-"

"Good." Maureen interrupted. "Now I think it would be a good idea to lay down some rules. Or at least, Pookie does."

"Yes, so let's get started." Joanne pulled a legal pad out of her briefcase along with a ballpoint pen. "We'll call it..."

"Mission – Save Mark from the Evil Bunnies of Broken Camera Depression as Fast as Possible!" shouted Mimi.

"PERFECT!" exclaimed Maureen as she snatched the pen and paper away from her girlfriend and began writing furiously. "Oh, no! It won't fit. I guess we'll just call it 'Mission – SMEBBCDFP'." She said.

"Oh, yes, because that's much simpler." Roger answered sarcastically.

20 minuets later, there were 10 detailed rules scribbled and scratched out and written again all over the poor paper.

"Number one…" Maureen began, reading the list, "Game nights will be held on Friday nights until Mark is normal again. Number two – One person will be selected each Thursday to choose and bring the game. Number three – All game nights will be held in the loft due to its size and unpredictable heating. Number four – All games must be at least semi-appropriate. Number -"

"Okay we get it." Roger said impatiently. "I'm bringing the game (as soon as I find one) and you all can leave until tomorrow night."

"Hey!" Mimi protested.

"Well except you. You can stay. Otherwise, everyone out!" Roger pushed everyone but his girlfriend out the door. "Whew!" he said, sliding down and sitting against the door.

"Awww, poor baby," Mimi said, kissing him lightly on the lips. Roger smiled. Who cared if he had a game? He had something better…

**Okay sucky ending I know, but I couldn't think of anything. Reveiws are awesome I've heard. Prove me right?**


	2. Bullshit with Roger

**Thank you reveiwers! You are wonderful!**

**This story's a bit longer, but forgive me if it's too fast. It takes me a long time to write them so they feel really long to me.**

**Disclaimer - I forgot this last time. I don't own RENT. There, now there's no chance I can be sued. YAY!**

Roger awoke to knocking on the door. _What? Who's knocking on our door at – oh, 3:00 in the afternoon. I guess I'll be somebody today… _He threw on an old t-shirt and wrinkled jeans (his signature look) and shuffled to the door.

"WE'RE HERE!" Maureen shouted, jumping into the loft.

"Yay…?" was Roger's groggy reply.

"Hey, man!" Collins said as he walked inside, followed by Joanne.

"Where's your game? It'd better be good! I'm so excited!" Maureen was practically jumping off the walls.

"Jesus, Maureen, calm your self." Joanne said, "I'm sure he's got a great game." She looked to Roger expectantly. He looked back, confused. Suddenly he remembered something.

"Oh, the game! Right, yes, I have a game! Yeah, um, just let me go get it…" In three quick steps he was back in his room, shaking Mimi awake. "Mimi! Wake up! I need a game for tonight. Mimi!"

"Wha…?"

"I need a game for the game night thingy! Quick! Maureen's going to tear me to pieces!"

"Um, the what? The game… Oh! You mean 'Mission –"

"Yes that! I completely forgot!"

"Not that I'm surprised…" she continued, "but I think I have some cards…uh," she got up and opened her (well, Roger's) dresser drawer and pulled out a beat up deck of Mighty Mouse cards.

"Thanks!" he breathed, taking the cards and returning to the living room where Maureen was clearing the coffee table. She heard his footsteps and looked up.

"You got it! For a minute there I thought you'd forgotten!" she said.

"Yeah…" Roger answered.

"Well, what are we playing, then?" Joanne asked.

"Um, how 'bout 'Bullshit'?" he said, looking nervously to Maureen.

"Awesome! I'm the king of that game!" Collins said, obviously pleased.

"That sounds like a fun! It's already got one of my favorite words in it!" Maureen added. "I don't think I've ever played it before."

"It's not that hard. You'll catch on quickly." Joanne told her.

_Yeah, right._

Just then Mimi walked out from the Roger's room wearing a small black t-shirt and a pair of red plaid pants that looked oddly familiar.

"Mimi, are you wearing Roger's pants?" Collins asked her.

"Of course not!" she said, smiling. "So, are we gonna play or what?"

"Well, someone has to get our guest of honor first." Collins said to the group.

"Who's that?" Maureen questioned, confused.

"Mark, Hun. _Mark._" Joanne said, sounding a bit exhausted.

Roger rolled his eyes. _What could Mark have ever seen in her?_

"Oh! Right! I vote Roger!" she exclaimed.

"What? Why me?"

"Because he's your best friend!" she repeated. _She just had to play the "best friend" card, didn't she?_

"All right, fine!" Roger walked to Mark's room and peeked inside. "Mark? You awake?" The former filmmaker was asleep on his bed wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing since 'The Day'. "Mark! MARK!"

"Ahhh!" Mark said, falling to the floor. "What?"

"Oh, good, you're awake. There's something in the living room you should probably see." Mark fell back on his bed as Roger walked back to the group. "He's coming."

Fifteen seconds later a half-asleep Mark walked out of his room and looked at his five friends. "What?" he asked again, confused.

"Well, we decided you could use some cheering up, so here we are!" Maureen bubbled.

"Oh come on, you guys, I really don't want to-"

"No, you're going to." Joanne said firmly.

The look on Mark's face was like a prisoner on his way to the death chair, but he sat down beside Collins nonetheless.

"Roger's decided we're playing 'Bullshit' or rather, you're getting beat by me." Collins told his blond friend.

"Alright." Mark answered, sounding almost defeated.

Roger began dealing the cards and Maureen squealed with delight. "This is going to be so fun!"

"Okay, Maureen," Joanne began when Roger had finished. "What we're going to do is go around the circle and put our cards in order. If you don't have the cards, you put down different ones and pretend they're the right ones. If someone thinks you're lying, they'll say 'bullshit' and if you were lying, you have to take the cards. If you weren't they have to take them and…"

Roger zoned out. _I know how to play, it'll take forever for Maureen to catch on… I sure hope this works; Mark's starting to scare me. Me, Roger tough-guy Davis. Ha-ha, Maureen's so confused. Wait, was that a smile from Mark? We have a smile people, I repeat, we have a smile!_

When the sun had set and the loft's only lamp was finally turned on, Maureen announced that she "Got it!" and the game finally began.

"Two aces." Roger said, putting his cards face-down.

"One two."

"Five threes!" said Maureen happily, slapping her cards down. The bohemians all laughed (there was even a small chuckle from our depressed friend) and Maureen looked offended. "What?"

"Bull – shit!" Mimi finally gasped between fits of giggles.

"Awww!" Maureen said, adding the cards to hers.

"Okay, start at three again," Joanne told her.

"Two threes."

"One four."

"Three fives."

"BULLSHIT!" Maureen screamed.

"Uh, no," Roger said, flipping over his three fives.

"Awww!" she moaned again, and added the small stack of cards to the ones in her hands.

"Two sixes."

_Uh-oh..._

"Erm..." Maureen muttered, "Three...sevens!" she said, giggling as she put them down. She looked from each friend to the next communicating telepathically, daring them to say-

"Bullshit." Mark mumbled.

"How did you know!" Maureen asked, astonished.

Mark gave a weak smile. "Lucky guess?"

Collins gave a weak chuckle at Maureen's awe, and continued with the game.

By the third round, Maureen had finally caught on that there were only four cards for each number, and Mark was beginning to enjoy himself.

"Bullshit!" he shouted to Collins.

"What? How could you have known that? I have the best damn poker face in New York!"

"Well, we're not playing poker!" Maureen explained, looking at Collins like he was an idiot.

More giggles.

_Maybe Maureen is on to something, Mark's starting to have a bit of fun…_

"I WIN!" the drama queen shouted three hours later.

"What!" Mimi asked, suprised.

"Look! I have NO MORE CARDS!"

"Wow..." Joanne muttered.

_Maybe Maureen isn't as stupid as we all think..._

_Nah._

At 10:00, Mimi and Roger's beepers went off, and Maureen decided (very loudly) that she was tired.

"Okay, I guess we'll go, then." Joanne said.

"Awww!" Mimi shouted from Roger's room where they kept their AZT.

"Yeah, I think I'll go too." Collins agreed.

"Alright, then. I guess we'll see you around." Roger said, walking back into the living room. They said their goodbyes and agreed to come back on Thursday to decide who would bring the next game. Roger and Mimi turned around expecting to see Mark still sitting there, but he had apparently already escaped to his room.

_Shit._

**Jeez. I made Maureen such a blonde. Hey, she's good for comic releif, you know? She's the easiest to make fun of. Besides, I highly doubt that Maureen Johnson would be good at a game like B.S.**

**Mimi like, doesn't exist in this chapter, sorry! Who caught on to the red plaid pants thing? Yeah, random, but it's one of my favorite pictures of Adam and Anthony! (if you don't get it, see my pics on my homepage)**

**What do you think about the italics? Good/bad idea?**

**I still think it's too fast. I'm having a bit of trouble, but I'm trying to save the best for last.**

**Reveiws are awesome. They really do help, you know. Mucho gracias overthemoon07, my first reveiwer ever!**


	3. Truth or Dare with Maureen

**I am sooooo incredibly sorry for how long it took for me to write this! First, I was having trouble doing Maureen's thoughts cause I made her so blonde, and then the site wouldn't let me log in! But anyway, it's here now.**

**Disclaimer - Still don't own RENT.**

"ROGER! OPEN YOUR DOOR OR I'M GOING TO KNOCK IT DOWN! **ROGER**!"

It had been going on for almost five minutes now, Maureen's banging. Mark hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. If he was lucky, Maureen just might give up, leaving him alone again until Roger got back, if he ever did come back from Mimi's. He'd like that, an evening without Roger's pathetic attempts at cheering him up. Well, except for Friday, Friday hadn't been too bad.

"Maureen?" Roger's voice came from the hallway. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get you to answer the damn door!"

Mimi's laughter was heard as a key turned in the lock.

But before anyone could get inside, Mark was back in the safety of his room.

* * *

Roger pulled out his key and swung back the door to the loft.

"Finally," Maureen said, "I've been banging for hours!" she explained, showing him her red knuckles.

"Where's everyone else?" Roger asked.

"I've got my game!" she said excitedly, oblivious to his new question.

_It's perfect! I actually picked it with you in mind, Roger…_

"Great!" Mimi said, leading the way into the loft and sitting down on the couch. "So, what is it?"

_Oh, what an opportunity for drama!_

"Well, after endless hours of painstaking research…" she began.

"I knew it was a mistake picking her…" Roger whispered to Mimi while Maureen continued her speech.

"Oh, come on, this idea is starting to work, give her a chance!" Mimi hissed back.

"I doubt she'll be done here by Tuesday, and it's not like-"

"And even though no one seems to be listening, I would very much like to point out that I am not deaf, so when my audience is whispering, especially when it is only two people, I can usually notice it." Maureen said loudly.

_Gotcha._

"Now, if you had been paying attention, you would know that-"

"-you enjoy elaborating on nothing?" Roger offered.

_Screw you!_

"You guys, _please_!" Mimi said, "Maureen, just tell us your game, and Roger, shut up."

Roger frowned and sank deeper into the couch.

"Okay, my game is…Truth or Dare!" Maureen squealed, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"That's awesome!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Roger, "You think Mark is going to want to play Truth or Dare?"

"Well, he can go last." Maureen said.

"Yeah, after he's laughed a bit…" Mimi added.

"Maureen, if that works I'll – I'll – cut off my hair!"

"No!" Mimi gasped, "You can't!"

Maureen giggled. "I'm sorry Mimi, but Roger could very well be bald by tomorrow! My idea is the best!"

Meanwhile, Roger looked pained, "Fine, I guess I could give it a chance…" he mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"Thank God!"

"Hey, are you saying you wouldn't like me anymore if I was bald?"

"Sorry, but it's definitely a plus…"

"Ouch, my pride."

"Awww," Mimi said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

Maureen gagged. _Funny, I seem to remember an extremely bald landlord…_

Just then, the loft door swung back presenting Joanne and Collins.

"Finally! We've been waiting for you!" Maureen told them.

_Yes, it's been so boring here without you._

"Sorry, Mo," Collins said, "we were both working. You know, making money."

Roger scoffed.

"Whatever, it's time to begin!" she said, gesturing to the couch.

"Okay," Joanne began, sitting gingerly on the edge of a threadbare chair. "Since Roger had to get Mark last week, it only makes sense that Maureen has to do it this week."

"You act like it's such a burden," Mimi commented.

"Well, Mark's pretty stubborn."

"Whatever," Maureen said, "watch and learn!" She skipped back to Mark's room and threw open the door. "MARKIE!"

He sat bolt upright, caught sight of Maureen, groaned, and rolled over onto his stomach with his face in the pillow.

_How cute is that?_

"C'mon, Mark!" she said, jumping onto the bed to sit cross-legged next to him. "Join the party!"

"No, thanks."

"Pleeeeeeeeeease!" He didn't budge. With a mischievous grin, she shoved her hands under his stomach and began to tickle him.

"No, Maureen, stop it!" He groaned, trying not to laugh. Maureen, on the other hand, was cracking up. He attempted to block her hands from his middle, but she was surprisingly persistent. "Maureen! Maureen, I can't breathe! Stop! Get off me! MAUREEN!"

"What the hell is going on in here!" Joanne asked from the doorway.

_Whoops._

"Nothing!" Mark answered quickly, pushing off his attacker and standing up.

Joanne looked from Maureen to Mark and back again, sighed, and left, gesturing for them to follow her.

Mark, slightly shook up by Maureen's persuasion tactics, followed the tickle monster into the living room and took a seat.

"Alright, uh…" said Collins, sensing the tension between the three friends (he was very good at those sorts of things) and attempted to fill the uncomfortable silence. "Maureen says she's got the perfect game!"

"I do!" she said happily. _Well, he doesn't look too disappointed… _When nobody asked, she continued. "Truth or Dare!" she practically screamed.

Mark almost laughed but caught himself halfway, so it sounded more like a rather amused hiccup. No one seemed to notice, because Maureen had already started talking again.

"So I think Roger should start, and we'll go clockwise and end with Mark. Then, we'll start over again and be like a little circle!"

"You can ask anyone 'Truth or Dare?' right?" Mimi asked.

"Yep, it should be fun!"

"Alright…" Roger said, looking around the circle with a sarcastic confused-frown on his face. "I pick… Mimi!"

_Whoa, shocker there._

"Okay!" she said, sitting a little taller.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Umm… truth!"

"Let's see…" Roger said, looking around the loft for inspiration. "Last Christmas Eve when you said 'Benny wasn't any…' what were you going to say?"

"You didn't know?"

"No."

"Then why'd you say 'I know'?"

"Because – hey, this is _your_ question, not mine. You have to answer."

"Fine! I was going to say 'Benny wasn't any problem'."

"Really? That was all?" Roger asked, astounded.

"Yeah,"

"I thought you were going to say something like 'Benny wasn't anything in bed', and that would totally ruin the moment."

"He's not." Maureen said. Everyone turned and looked at her in astonishment. "I'm kidding!" she said after a few seconds.

_Nice save._

"Okay, next." Joanne directed after the laughter had died down.

"My turn," Collins said. "Now, who to pick… How about… Joanne?" He turned to face her. "You up to it?"

"Of course." She answered with a determined look on her face.

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare," she said without a moment's hesitation.

"Hmmm," he said, thinking. "I dare you to go out on the fire escape and yell what you told me about what you did when you were drunk last Tuesday."

_Who drinks on Tuesday?_

"What!" she yelled, "That's not fair! That's like a dare and a truth!"

"Actually," Mimi explained, "Since you've already told one of us, it's not a truth."

"But-but-"

"No but's," Maureen said, repeating her mother's favorite phrase, "This is Truth or Dare, and you picked dare, now do it."

Joanne finally stomped out the window and onto the fire escape, but took time before she made it there to give each and every one of them an extremely dirty look. As each foot clanked on the metal "balcony", the lawyer took a deep breath and prayed that no one she worked with was passing through.

"LAST TUESDAY I GOT DRU K AND MADE OUT WITH THE BARTENDER!" She climbed back in through the window and took her seat again, acting as if nothing had happened. Everyone remained silent and careful, scared of what their sensible friend might do after being forced to accept Collins' dare.

"Joanne," Collins said, a smile spreading across his face, "I think you forgot something…"

Joanne sighed and trudged to the fire escape. "AND HIS NAME WAS ROBERT!"

"WHAT!" Maureen exclaimed, "Robert? The guy I cheated on _you_ with?"

"I was _drunk_!" she said, sitting down again.

"The Tango: Joanne," Mark muttered under his breath, speaking to no one in particular.

But Joanne heard him. "Oh, shut up!"

After a few more pointless truths and dares, it was Mark's turn.

"Uh…Maureen," _Yessssssssss! _"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth!"

"Okay, who was your first?"

"Roger," Four faces flicked to Roger with disbelief, who had apparently not been paying attention and was busy making out with Mimi.

_Surprise, surprise._

"Roger! Did you really sleep with Maureen?" Joanne asked, her eyes wide.

"What?" he said, pulling away from Mimi. "Hell no!"

Maureen giggled. "Gotcha!"

"I hate you."

"Isn't there some sort of punishment for that?" Mimi asked, somewhat offended, "You know, _lying_?"

"Yeah!" Roger chimed in lamely.

"I'm pretty sure there is…" Joanne said, turning to her girlfriend.

"No way! I was just kidding!" Maureen said defensively. "Besides, it's my game; I get to make the rules!"

"No you don't!" Roger answered. "Let's make her drink the water from the faucet!"

The group grimaced at the thought of the dark thick substance found when anyone tried to use the sink.

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Mark asked tentatively.

_I love you, Mark!_

"No," Roger answered darkly.

"She won't do it anyway," Collins said doubtfully.

_Hey, wait a minute!_

"Yes I will!" Maureen yelled. "I'll do it!" and with that she stomped into the kitchen and began digging through the cabinets for a cup.

"Um, are you sure this is a good idea, Hun?" Joanne asked, "I mean, who knows what's in there?" but before she could get an answer, Maureen had filled a cup and brought it to her lips.

Let's just say that everyone within 10 miles went temporarily deaf.

"How could you make me do that!" Maureen asked, wiping her tongue with a towel.

"We didn't make you do anything!" Mimi said defensively.

"Yeah, and you got to give Mark some credit; it was pretty funny." Roger added.

"Asshole!"

"Children, children, please!" Collins said, attempting to break up the fight. "Don't make me send you to bed without supper!"

Maureen stuck her tongue out at Roger.

"Who's next?"

"It's me again," Roger said, looking around the circle. "Collins hasn't done much…"

Collins shrugged and waited for his cue.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth,"

"Uh," Roger said, out of ideas. "Is your refrigerator running?"

"I don't have a refrigerator,"

"Oh,"

_Oh. My. God. And I'm the one who's retarded?_

It was so pathetic it was funny, so they laughed. Soon enough, though, the not-funny-but-funny questions got annoying, and the truth and dare quality began to lose its flair, so they decided to call it a night.

"Who wants to go get drunk?" Collins asked, standing up and stretching.

Everyone but Joanne and Mark answered with a "Sure!" and began to put on their coats.

"Uh, I think I'll sit this one out…" Joanne said, "I, uh, don't want a…repeat."

Collins chuckled. "Alright. Mark, you coming?"

"No, thanks."

"Awwww, come on! Pleeeeeeeease?" Maureen begged, pouting.

"I guess one drink couldn't hurt…" he answered grudgingly and went to get his scarf.

_That's right. I'm a genius._

**I hate my endings. They suck.**

**Yes, I added a RHM (Roger Hair Moment) so I had to change the world to "movie".**

**Shoutout to all the lucky ducks that went to the tenth aniversary show in NY, I hate you.**

**"Oh shit! I forgot how fast you were!"**

**Funny stuff!**

**I'm debating whether or not to do Collins or Joanne next.**

**Thoughts?**


End file.
